Breech-loading bomb-gun



(No Mariel.) 2 sheets-snee@ 1. A E. PIERCE.

BREEH LOADING BOMB GUN.

Patented Apr. 4, 18 82.

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

' E. PIERCE.

BRBEGH LOADING BOMB GUN. No. 256,041. Patented Apr. 4,1882.

UNITED STATES EBENEZER PIERCE, OF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

BREECH-LOADING BOMB-GUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 256,041, dated April'4, 1882.

Application filed March 11, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom zt may concern:

Beit known that I, EBENEZER PIERCE, a citizen of the United States,residing. at New Bedford, in the county of Bristol and Slate ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements inBreech-Loadin g Bomb-Guns for Killing `Nhales, of which the following isa specification.

The object of the present invention is to furnish a combined bomb gunand harpoon in which effectual provision is made for loading the gun in`a simple and expeditious manner without necessity of detaching thebarrel, as in the patent granted to me on the 28th day of January, 1879,No. 211,777.

The invention consists essentially in combining a hinged vgun-barrelcarrying a hammer-trippin g rod with a breech-block containing thetiring devices, whereby the charge can be quickly introduced and thebarrel turned back on the breech or stock for taking up less space intransporting and storing the weapon.

The invention further consists in using in connection with a barrelcapable of turning on a hinge or other form ot' joint a divided hammeror trigger retaining rod which will not only serve to release saidhammer when shifted by impact against the body of the whale, but willenable said barrel to be thrown down or tur'ned away from thebreech-block without the necessity of removing any of the parts.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is atop view of a bomb-gun andharpoon having the harpoon shank fitted in guides on the `breech frameor block and provided with a hammer-tripping rod sliding in guides onthe barrel and terminating at the breech-frame. Fig.2 is a top view ofabomb-gun and harpoon in which a bomb with a harpoon-headislitted intothe barrel and is projected therefrom by the explosive charge. Fig. 3 isa side elevation ofabomb-gun, showingmorefully the inanner of hingingthe barrel and the arrangement of thehammer-tripping rod. Fig. is a topview of a bomb-gun and harpoon in which the harpoon-shank moves in aguide on the barrel and the bombharpoon is projected by the explosivecharge. Fig. 5 is a side elevation, showing the position ot' the barrelwhen being dropped down for inserting the cartridge or removing theempty shell. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of the breech-block,tiring devices, and hinged barrel. Fig. 7 is a modified form of gun iuwhich is employed a divided hammer retaining and releasing rod. Fig. 8is a side elevation, showing the barrel turned on the breech-frame fortransporting or storage pur poses.

The letter A designates the breech frame or block of my improved bombgun and harpoong and B is the socket formed with or attached to saidbreech-frame for receiving the customary staff or handle G, which isused for poising and throwing the gun and its attached harpoon.

The gun-barrel D is connected with the bottom of the breech-block bymeans of a knuckle or other suitable form ot' hinge'joint, E, so as topermit said barrel to be dropped down or turned away from the breech ina manner common to the well -known system of knockdown breech-loadingfire-arms. The upper portion of the rear end ot the barrel has arearwardly-projecting lump or projection, F, which, when the barrel isturned against the face-plate ot' the breech-block, enters betweenperforated ears or lugs G on the top of said breech-block, and alsoengages with the hookshaped extremity of a spring catch or plate, H,secured to the breech-block. This springcatch serves, in connection witha locking-pin,

I, passed through the ears or lugs G and the projection F on the barrel,to hold the latter in a locked position. Other well-known means forlocking the barrel may, however, be resorted to, and, instead of causingthe barrel to turn on a hinge-joint in the manner shown, it may befitted ona horizontal pivot-pin, so as to be capable of receiving anaxial or rotary movement in respect to the breech-block.

The hammer J and its mainspring Kare ar-l ranged within a chamber of thebreech-block, and the tiring-pin L projects through and moves in thefaceplate ot' the latter, so as to properly tire the charge upon beingstruck by the ham.- mer. Suitable top and bottom plates serve to closethe hammer-chamber and prevent access ot' water thereto. The journal oraxis pins of the hammer project through the side plates of the chamberedbreech-block, and one of said aXispins projects more carries aprojection or pawl, l\I,-'which is adapted IOO than the other and Y Vtoengage with a trigger, Npivoted to the face-plate ofthe breech-block.When the hammer is properly set, by means of a lever, arm, or handle, Z,applied to its projecting journal or axis, the projection or pawl Mthereof is received and retained by the hooked end of the trigger N. Aspring, O, bearing against said trigger, serves to hold it in engagementwith the projection of the hammer, so as to maintain the'latter in acocked position, as is clearly shown in Fig. l.

`A sliding rod, P, fitted in suitable guides,p, on the sides of thegun-barrel, projects a suitable distance beyond the outer end of thegunbarrel, so that when said rod is pushed back by impact against thebody of the whale itwill serve to disengage the trigger from the hammerby coming in contact with said trigger. This operation necessarilycauses the hammer to strike the firing-pin, and the latter lires thecharge in the well-known manner, A spiral spring, p2, encircles thesliding rod and serves to hold it away from the trigger until it isforced back in the manner above stated. A

stop, p3, on the rod P, serves to limit the forward movement thereof bycoming in contact `wi-t-honeot' the guidesp on the barrel. The letter Qdesignates a harpoon-head, which is pivoted to its shank Q',

so that it can turn thereon for taking a firm hold in the body of thewhale when the harpoon line is pulled taut. As shown in Fig. 1, theshank of the harpoon has noconnection with the barrel of the gun, but isfitted in guides or eyes q q on the side ot' the breech block or frame.In this instance of construction the barrel, together with the hammertripping or releasing rod P, are alone movable in relation to the breechfor permitting the charge to be introduced into the barrel or the emptyshell to be removed therefrom.

, The harpoon-head shown in Figs. 2 and4 is provided with an explosiveshell or magazine, which ts into thc barrel of the gun and has itscharge ignited by the concussion of the explosive charge used forprojecting this form of bomb-harpoon into the body of a whale. In theform of gun illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4 the hammertripping rod is madeto project beyond the harpoon-head, so that it will come in contact withthe body of the whale and release the hammer for tiring the charge thatprojects the bomb-harpoon from the gun-barrel.l As shown in Fig. 2, thepivoted harpoonshank/has no connection with the gun-barrel exceptthrough the medium of the harpoonhead and its attached bomb or shell.The harpoon-shank may, however, be extended, as shown in dotted lines inthis figure, so as to pass through the eyes g and q on the breechframe.

" The form of harpoon-head illustrated in the 'present instance isparticularly adapted to take 'a firm hold in the body of the whale, andit is notliable to glance oif when it strikes a bone, as is the casewith the ordinary form of harpoon-head. Thislatter liability is avoidedby pivoting the shank at or near t-he center of the harpoon-head andproviding the latter with an oblique wing or blade, as is shown in thedrawings. The construction illustrated in Fig. 7 involves the use of agun-barrel of the description above described; but in place of thesingle straight ham mer-disen gaging-rod, I provide in connection withsuch a hinged barrel a divided disengaging-rod having a bent rearportion, P3, which is adapted to slide in guides p4 on the breech-block,as in my Patent No. 211,777, heretofore referred to. The bent rod in thepresent instance serves directly as a stop for holding the hammer in acocked position, it being obvious that when the short arm of the rodrests above the projection of the hammer-axis or shaft said hammeris/held in a retracted state. As soon as the rod passes beyond theprojection of said hammer-shaft the mainspring will throw it forwardagainst the firing-pin.

By dividing the bent rod or making it in two parts the barrel can beshifted without disturbing the position of said rod.

0f course it is well understood thatas breechloading guns have long beenin use no attempt is made in this application to broadly claim a breech-loading bomb gun; but by making the bomb-gun breech loading by hingingthe barrel to the breech-piece it is found to be far more serviceableand Vconvenient than in my patent hereinbefore referred to, in which thebarrel is not hinged, but must be entirely detached from thebreech-piece for loading.

It is obvious that ifin the present instance the rod for tiring the gunwere held by guides both upon the barrel and the breech-piece, as is thecasein my said patent, the barrel could not be turned upon the hingesfor purposes of loading; but by carrying the sliding rod which operatesthe'iiring mechanism by impact, as before described, solely upon guideson the barrel the barrel can be turned upon its hinge for the purpose ofloading without detaching the rod therefrom. Therefore the rod will bein position on the barrel of the gun at all times and always ready, sothat after the insertion of a cartridge the barrel can be closed and thegun will be readyfor instant action without necessitating the attachingof the rod. Moreover, the rod cannot be lost, which, were it detachable,would often occur.

What I claim is- 1. In a. breech-loading bomb-gun, the combination of ahinged barrel with the breechpiece carrying tiring devices, asliding-rod adapted to connect with and actuate the tiring devices byimpact, as described, said rod being arranged in guides 'on the hingedbarrel to move therewith during the act of inserting a cartridge orcharge inthe barrel of the gun when it is turned on its hinge, as andfor the purpose Asel; forth.

2, The combination, with a breech-loading bomb-gun, of the dividedsliding rod, which operates the mechanism employed for firing IOO IIO

IZO

the charge by impact, one portion of said rod being supported by a guideupon the breechpiece and the remaining part of the rod. being supportedby guides upon the barrel, whereby 5 the barrel can be turned back onits hinge without disconnecting either of the rods, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses. y

EBENEZER PIERCE.

Witnesses:

ALBERT H. NORRIS, J AMES A. RUTHERFORD.

